Literary Terms

General information:
1. Uses free verse: The aim of free verse is twofold.  1) To use the language of common speech, but to employ always 
the exact word, not the nearly-exact or decorative. 2) To create new rhythms as the expression of new moods, to have
fully accurate poetry.

Free verse also adapts more easily to the subject matter it describes.  

2. No rhyme: In Sandburg's poetry, colloquial voice and the rhythms of everyday speech are used.  This contributes to 
an effect of a half-rhyme- something between poetry and prose. 

3. No rhythm: Sandburg was fond of quoting Oliver Wendell Holmes who characterized writing with rhyme as 
"wearing iron fetters; it is dragging a chain and ball to march under their encumbrance."

4. Juxtaposition of mood, tone or structure: Sandburg often uses two contrasting moods to satirize society, usually a 
somber mood of realism and a symbolic, buoyant tone of exultation and joyous sensibility. Often done through a 
mid-poem tone shift, sometimes presenting a prevailing stereotype in the first section, and replacing it with his
own in the second.  

5. Colloquial speech: Contributes to verisimilitude.  Of this trait of his poetry, Sandburg said that "language 
impermeates all, and has its bases close to the ground."  Therefore, to truly speak to all of America,
it is neccesary to use slang and native idioms.  

6.  Literary devices that imply rhythm:  He uses natural pauses and syllable length to give rhythm to poetry.  Parallel 
phrasing and repitition also contribute.  He occasionally uses onomatopoeia and alliteration to the same end.

7.  Photographic analogy:  Since his poems were intended to be something of social documentation, and photography 
was the standard for authentic preservation, Sandburg uses the structural device of vignettes using imagery.  

8.  Journalistic tone:  Sandburg again attempts to precisely convey Chicago, this time, using the convention
of a sincere, restrained tone speaking in trustworthy, understated language.  In addition, in many poems he uses
precise names, figures and quotes.


The Harbor
A harbor symbolizes a portal between two worlds; an entry and an exit

Passing through huddled and ugly walls,	Passing through walls is a paradox, since walls are constructed to prevent free movement. Huddled and ugly personify walls and contribute to the image of poverty and desperation. Written in Dactyl Trimeter (stress, unstress, unstress) x 3
By doorways where women haggard	Haggard has connotations of destitution. Written with one iambic (unstress, stress) foot One anapestic foot (unstress, unstress, stress) foot Monosyllabic foot at the end
Looked from their hunger-deep eyes,	Hunger in this context refers to both literal and spiritual hunger. The literal interpretation again emphasizes the poverty of the area he is describing. Eyes contributes to the imagist tendencies of this poem- in this line, Sandburg gives the reader the idea that he is describing the city through the eyes of the woman he describes. Written in dactyl trimeter.
Haunted with shadows of hunger-hands,	From this line, the reader infers that Sandburg is describing prostitutes. Hunger-hands in this context is synechdoche, with hands referring to the men that come to the prostitues. Hunger has yet another meaning- that of lust. Haunted implies that the women are scarred by their profession. Shadow is an allusion to a poem "Shadows," also by Sandburg, describing Chicago prostitues. Written in dactyl trimeter.
Out from the huddled and ugly walls,	Repetition of the first line, with only the first word differing. Change from through to out foreshadows the tone shift in the next line. Written in dactyl trimeter.
I came sudden, at the city’s edge,	Tone shift- instead of resigned diction and passive description of the city, the speaker switches to active voice using the first person. Serves to juxtapose the misery of men in cities- in the man made world they created for themselves with the beauty of pristine nature. Scene change- city's edge instead of the feeling of being trapped in the inner city. Again, theme of harbor as a port between two worlds. Rhythm change- One anapest and three iambs- four feet instead three
On a blue burst of lake,	Blue burst- alliteration Burst- onomatopoeia Diction impies freedom and liberty Written in anapestic dimeter
Long lake waves breaking under the sun	Long lake- alliteration Imagery with waves and sun Again, diction implies liberty and leisure Written in dactyl trimeter
On a spray-flung curve of shore;	Spray-flung- imagery using verbs to imply action Written with one anapestic foot and two iambs
And a fluttering storm of gulls,	Fluttering storm- imagery Storm implies chaos, disorder and darkness. Sandburg draws a parallel between the usually disturbingly chaotic aspects of a storm with the joyfully chaotic facets of liberty (portrayed in the seagulls.) This is juxtaposed with the restraint and order of society that results in the poverty illustrated in the first part of the poem. Written in anapestic trimeter.
Masses of great gray wings	Great, grey- alliteration and assonance Great, grey wings is synechdoche, associating wings with seagulls. Written in anapestic dimeter
And flying white bellies	Synechdoche- associating bellies with seagullls Written with one iamb, one anapest and one monosyllabic foot.
Veering and wheeling free in the open.	Veering and wheeling- assonance. Imagery of flying seagulls. Written with an anapestic foot and trochaic foot - then two of these groupings.